ABSTRACT
The explosive growth in the number of older Americans has generated a wide array of living arrangements and has increased the diversity of social environments among the elderly. Examining the current living arrangements of minority elders will help frame answers to the questions just posed. These arrangements are a function of income, family relationships, health status, and other factors. Ethnic minority elders have also had to cope with housing discrimination and “red-lining” by lending institutions, both of which have limited their housing options. Rising home-insurance costs and utility bills further jeopardize older minority homeowners’ ability to retain their homes. Keep in mind that minority elders’ acceptance of various options depends not only on factors like structural adequacy and affordability, but also personal and environmental characteristics that determine housing satisfaction. Some trends in unsubsidized retirement housing are largely untried among minority elderly.
